List of Places
Gretchland See also: Place of Power *Grove of golden white trees, similar to these or, in color, the amber ghost maple *Forest-choked ruins, esp. by waterways *Healing streams. Healing springs. *Healing springs or wells that people leave offerings of cloth in tree(s) above it for the spirits of that area. *Spring/fountain imbued with power of saint or hero. *Grottoes (spring/fountain/well, stream of latent power or of hero/saint in cave or just underground) *Stone bridges in forests. Large bridges over rivers big enough for trolls to be under. *Stone boundary walls, low, dry stone *Hedges, sometimes combined with stone boundary walls, some are natural walls of twisted plants protecting important things *Spirit gardens: wild gardens tended by spirits, usu. dryads and anthousai *Clearings of medium to large moss-covered stones *Area of lumpy, completely moss-coated with tree at the center *Magically bent, looped, and gnarled trees *1 in 20 trees tacient or sentient in some way *Forest floor covered in bluebells *Fairy rings, ferns, fog *Small rock "bridges" over creeks *Basalt columns on the coast and in caves *Crystal / magical gem caves *Glow worm concentrations, (bioluminescent beetle, cf. firefly) Motes inhabit the air in mostly in forests, less and sparse in meadows and fields. Wisps can light in the forest, but commonly occur solitarily over bogs, swamps, marshes—any wet or muddy ground. Ouphs coat long grasses and scatter when creatures pass through them. Hyters are half sprite half bug cousins of ouphs that gather most near insects. Fairies, sprites, and pixies inhabit forests, but can wander through fields. Fairies also play near cliffs and can lead unwary playmates off the edge. Other fairies do enjoy healing and helping people. Sprites go near settlements as well. Pixies follow roads and mislead travelers, but turning an article of clothing (usually the shirt) confuses them breaks one out of being pixie-led. Pechs are vegetable sprites that protect lone or lost children, playing games with them to keep them occupied or led in the generally right direction. Nymphs lounge or lie in wait for victims in secluded or romantic spots according to their alignment/affinity Malign sisters of nymphs (sirens, morgens, nixes, krats, etc.) Pans live in pastures and wild fields. They exhibit much the same qualities as male nymphs in combination with a love of music and of raucous processions. Singing or playing while on the road will draw them into your company, but make sure to do so well... If they start playing their flutes first, beware as their song is enchanting and you may find that you are yourself again far off your path. At night, in spring, on holidays they have picked up on from people, or in the rhythms of the spirits of that area, pans lead processions of ethereal debauchery. The mind can drawn to participate or even the body if there are fae in their numbers. Shee dwell on sacred hills, places of power, or the ruins of ancient forts. Spriggans protect ruins being taken back by nature. Corrigans live at monuments or ruins, celebrating with their fairy dance that sucks people in. Leshee defend the whole forest as opposed to dryads that protect single trees. Scrats are aggressive and malign forest dwellers that bend the forest to attack hunters, travelers, etc. Helpful and nuisance spirits in settlements. Ghosts in graveyards or at place of death. Wraiths are malign spirits that haunt people or go after certain goals not inhabiting any one kind of place. Poes are wraith-like spirits that carry spirit lanterns and have a proclivity for possession. Breaking their lantern dispels them. Jumpers leap around and tell stories Elementals Tutelars powerful spirits of an area. Often lead lesser spirits as their attendants. Landvetters stand on the borders of nations, peoples. This may or may not correspond with the divisions of land and rule that people set down. Move with peoples as their mindless guardians. 'Topography' Topography (T) Number: #Flat plains #Forest #"Twisted Forest" / Ancient Woodland #Broad hills #Low rolling hills #High rolling hills #Massif #Low Foothills #Foothills and valleys #Alpine mountains and valleys Human Control (HC) Number: #Woods (Forest) #Copse, cut and managed forest #Forest (royal, protected), park #Wild field #Manor, village #Abbey church, parish church, cathedral (city), monastery, graveyard #Arcanum, mage's cloister (magery) #Town #City (has cathedral) #Citadel (city with an arcane fortification, a very well protected castle focused on sheltering the surrounding populace) (see also Bastion) #Tower (wizard's, usu. away from settlements) #Fastness (small castle, fortress) #Bastion (magically fortified fortress) Example: Brill is a T6HC5 location. Brosh's school is T6HC7. Combination of amulets, talismans, spelled weapons, other artifacts / enchanted objects, certain materials, guardian wizards, hired mages, companion animals, and protective spirits means that travelers are well protected, but occurrences and encounters with beasts or spirits happen more often, and the world is more dangerous so when something does go wrong, it's worse. People live in greater fear of the outside, building walls and setting wards, hiring magicient protection, and having greater faith when venturing out, more often than not leading to fateful incidents. For townspeople, leaving town is very dangerous thing. For villeins, appeasing and fighting spirits along with hunting beasts is regular part of survival. Magic decreases infant and maternal mortality, healing and revival are widely available, but the danger of such a world increases mortality by "accident" or "incident" later in life. Regions in Gretchland: *Fields/manor on high rolling hills (SW to NE wrap, 3 quadrants) *Fields/manor on medium rolling hills (central, armpit of above) *Bay/lakes (NE, w/ large river going into center) *Largest lake (center/armpit to SW) *Fields/manor on low or broad hills (S center to SE) *Massif mountains (NW) *Foothills to alpine mountains (borderlands, SE, E center) Gallia and Britannia had 4 inland-to-the-coast canals between them that were abandoned and filled after the empire left those areas. Horse tow paths on rivers were used thereafter and some improvement to one or two rivers themselves began in the 15th century. Canals did not begin again in earnest in the UK until the Industrial Revolution (18th century). The first canal in France was constructed 1604-1642 (usable late 17th century). Same distribution for small artificial streams, usu. for mills, called leat, main, fleam, or goit. Sources On the Kinds of Fairies Spirits The Nature of Spirits List of Roman Canals *History of the British Canal System *History of Canals in France Biggest Rivers in France Category:Geography Category:Spirits Category:Lists